Crushing machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 15, 1945 Attorney sept. 4,1951

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jun'e 15, 1945 F/GZ.

.Il IIlJ A Harney Filed 'June 15, 1945 v 4 sheets-sheet s HGB. A

Inventor A v WLL A ltorney Sept. 4, 1951 A. H. AMERY cRUsHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 13, 1945 Attorney Patented Sept. 4, 1951 CRUSHING MACHINE Arthur Hugh Amery, Willaston, Wirral, England, assignor to J Bibby & Sons Limited, Liverpool,

England, a British company Application June 13, 1945, Serial No.'599,276

In Great Britain July 5, 1944 Ve claims. (Cl. o- 41) This invention is for improvements in orrelating to crushing machines, expressing machines (i. e., machines for extracting .Y liquids from solid or semi-solid matter) and the llike (hereinafter generally referred to collectively as crushing machines). The invention is particularly concerned with a machine for expressing oil from nuts and seeds.

The well known worm-expeller type of expressing machine is open to the objection that friction on the worm and cage by the material being operated upon rapidly results in wear of said parts and entails frequent replacement thereof. This frictional wear cannot be avoided'because a certain amount of friction between the worm and the material is Anecessary for the operation of the machine. f

. An object of the present invention is to provide a crushing machine in which there -is little or no relative movement, between the crushing members and the material being treated, tending to cause serious and rapid wear of said members. A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a crushing machine inwhich a positive crushing pressure is exerted on thematerial to be treated which pressure is not -dependent to any great extent, if at all, on the frictional properties of the material. A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crushing machine of simple andirobust construction. A still further object of-'the invention is to provide a machine in which the crushing pressure is applied to the material without an objectionable increase in the temperature thereof.

According to the present invention there is provided a crushing machine comprising two c members which constitute opposite walls of a wedge-shaped or tapered space or chamber, a step-by-step mechanism for feeding material step-by-ste'p through said space, and means for moving at least one of saidmembers towards` ment to one of said members relatively tothe other to feed material step-by-step through said space or chamber, and pressure applying means for moving at least one of said members towards andaway from the other, duringhaltsfinsaid nitermlttent movement of one member. SQ as to crush the material in the wedge-shaped space or chamber. Y A

According toa Vpreferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a crushing machine comprising a wheel and a crushing member, the rrim of the wheel and the crushing memberl constituting opposite walls of a wedge-shaped or tapered .crushing space or chamber, a step-by-step mechanism for imparting intermittent movement tothe wheel relativefly to the Ycrushing memberto feed material stepby-step through said space or chamber, and pressureapplying means-'for moving the crushing member towardsand away from the rim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement thereof so a s to crush the materialin the wedge-shaped space or chamber. Conveniently the crushing member is pivoted to the machine frame, for movement towards and away from the rim of the wheel, and said pivot is arranged, ywith respect tothe Wheel, so that the space between the rim and the `crushing member is of the l required wedge form, said space decreasing inV adirection vfr pm the feeding to the pivoted `end of the crushing member. The materialis f ed. into the space between the rim of the wheel and the crushing member, by a feeding member and during the crushing operation confined in said space by the feeding member. The wheel takes several step-by-step movements in` traversing the complete span of the v crushing member so that each charge of material Vis `subjected tof several crushing operations, Thus, due to the wedge shape of the space between the wheel rim and the crushing member the crushing operation will be of increasing severity so thatthorougn extraction of the liquid will b e obtained without an excessive and objectionable squirting-out" in the initial stages. c

Conveniently the crushing member is operated,

' at least during its operative stroke, when it applies the crushing pressure, by one or more hydraulic ramdevices, The wheel may also be rotated step-by-step by means of a hydraulic' ram device, preferably through a pawl `and ratchet mechanism., A further advantage of the `present invention .is :that vthe crushing member may be Ymade of hollow or cavity construction so that a heating or vcoolingffluid can be introduced into it in cases*A where temperature control of the material being treated is advantageous.`

'I he permeable rim of the wheel or the permeable part `o fethercrushing member may com-- prise a series ofv bars clamped together withA .shims or narrow spacing piec es' between them so that a plurality of intersiis are f c'rmed..

through 'which the liquid exudes, this construction being somewhat similar to the construction of the cage of the well known worm-expeller type of expressing machine. Y

According to a' further feature of thegpresent invention there is provided a method of crushing materials (e. g. to express liquids from solid or semi-solid material) which comprises the steps of feeding material mechanically, by a Yconveyorhaving a permeable support for the material, through a wedge-shaped ortaperingcontractible crusing chamber, halting said material intermittently in said crushing space and applying pressure to express the liquid by contracting the. crushing space during such halts, whereby: the, material is subjected to a series of crushing operations of increasing severity.

One specific embodiment of an expressing machine, according Vto 'the present invention, will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying- 'semi-diagrammatic drawings.

OnV the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine and also shows diagramatically a known forrnofV cam mechanism Vfor controlling the operating'` sequence of the moving parts of the machine,

Figure 2 is a front elevation,

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line I II-III of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a diagram showing the movement of the working parts of the machine when it effects a crushing operation, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectionalview on line V-V of Figure 2.

The machine comprises a base frame I0 having bearings at opposite sides which carry'a shaft i2 supporting a Vwheel located between the bearings. The wheel has a rirnv comprising a number of axilally spaced annular rings |31 mounted on spokes I4 radiating from the-shaft |2. The rim of the wheel also includesfa series of circumferentially arranged cross-bars I] which are assembled around -the rmwithfshimsor'spacing pieces (not shown) between them s o as to form a multi.- plicity of interstices'` |8- (see- Figure 5)` for the draining of expressed oilj ashereinafter described. The cross-bars 'lare supported' on the above mentioned annular rings |3' and extendV between the two outermost rings |3a` which project beyond the plane of the bars so as to forma kind-of circumferential trough I9. Every so often, around the rim, a key-bar '1a. is located between the cross-bars The bars are secured imposition by locking members which bear o n the ends of said bars and are secured to the Vprojectingouter annular rings |3'a. f

An arcuate crushing member 2 spans approxiterior for the introduction` of., Iforfexample, steam so that both heat and-pressure can be supplied to the material to be crushed.l nA'te'nsion arm? or tie 2 3 is pivoted at 24 to the shaft I 2fon either side of the wheel. The freeends offthetwoarm's-are connected to a common cross-shaft 25.' The cross-shaft carries a toggle element 26- and a connecting member 28 whicharejournalledon the shaft. 'Ilhe toggle element 2,6 hasja knuckle joint connectionvat 21' tothe crushingrm'ember2 I, and the member 28 has a similarconnectionat- 30 to the ram proper ofA a double-acting hydraulically operatedrank` Atitsilowerfendthecrush- .L

Yation of the crushing member 2| and; at the same time ay favourable disposition of the stresses to which the machine is subjected when the crushing pressure is applied. The arrangement is also Vsuch that the space 32 between the crushing Vmember 2| and the rim bars Il, Ila' of the wheel isof'iwedge'form having its greatest cross-sectional area at the upper or feeding end 33 of the crushing member; The pivot 3| connecting the crushing member to the base frame i3 is of eccentric form so as to allow the crushing member to be adjusted, if desired, relatively to the rim of the wheel.` l The rim of the wheelV is provided with ratchet teeth inthe form ofspacedl pins 34 and pawls 3,5.' are carried on arock-ing frame 36 pivoted on the shaft I2, said pawls 35 engaging the ratchet teeth 34 to effect a step-by-step rotation ofl the wheel. In addition to carrying the pawls35, the rocking vframe 36 also carries arms or brackets 31" connected at 38 to an arcuate feeding member 39 restingl on the rim-bars, Ilay ofthe wheel and'. adapted to be reciprocated by the rocking frame 36 below a feeding-chute 40 for the machine. IThe walls of the feeding member'Sfll-y arie' perforatedl as indicated at 39a so that any free oilr atthe lower part of the chute` 4|) can exude and flow down the rim of the wheel to be collected with the expressed oil. rlrhe extremity of the rocking frame 3% is also coupled to a double-acting hydraulically operated ram 4|. It will be noted that the driving mechanism, for the wheel, just described is located? very conveniently.l on the opposite end of the machine-to the mechanism 23-29 operating the crushing member 2|;-

A collecting reservoir 42. for oil is located below the wheel and is provided with a discharge conduit 43. Guide plates lehaving conical surfaces |5may be providediaround the shaft l2 to direct the oil to the reservoir. A scraper 44 and discharge chute 45 are also located'in proximity to thev lower endlof:` the crushing member 2| for removing `andv dischargingA exhausted material. generally called` cake, from the wheel and discharging itf from the machine. Prior to being scraped from the wheelv thecake may be cut by a rotatable knife 46A mounted on the crushing member.

The. operation of the machine above described is as follows:

Assuming that. the crushing member 2| has justcompleted a crushing operation and has beeny moved byv the reverse operation ofr thefram 29lawayr from the rim of the. wheel into the position shown'in full lines in Figure 4, and also that the pawl and feeding-.member 39 have been movedr back, from-,the.positionshown in Figure l, by the operation ofA their ram 4|, readyto move the wheel one step forward and cause further charge of material 'tobelfed'` between the rimbars Il, I'Ia of 'the'wheelandtheicrushing. member -2|'; hydraulic pressure is applied to the ram Mandjinitiallythe wheel-4 is movedone step forwardy into the position shown in Figurev l, and material which, due to the.. previous backward movement of-the feeding member 39, has dropped from the chute onto the rimk of the wheel, is carried by the combined movement of the wheel and feeding member into the space 32 between the crushing'ijmember 2| and the rim of thewheel;

piston; valve 43 over to the right. -theinletport 44 in communication withv the; port which .Space has been made available by the r0- tatn cf thewheel. The hydraulic ram 29 then operates through the toggle element. 26 and con.- necting member 28 to apply the crushing memberg2 I', as shown in Figure 1 and in broken lines in Figure 4, with crushing force to the material between it and the rim of the Wheel. The charge of; material last fed in is .given an initial crushingandA is crushed with increasing severity each time the wheel is stepped forward until it is eventuallyA discharged at the lower end 2|a of the crushing' member. It will be appreciated that each time the wheel is stepped around a new charge isv fed to the crushing member and an exhausted charge is discharged but inasmuch as the; span of the crushing member is say six times a single step of the wheel each charge of material will be crushed sixtimes and each time with; increasing. severity due to the wedge or tapered shape of the space 32 between the crushing member andthe rim ofthe wheel. The -majority of the expressed oil percolates between the rim. bars. |1,v lla of the wheel into the interior thereof, from which ity subsequently drainsY to the-reservoir 42 as indicated by the broken lines and arrows in Figure 3.

The operation of the hydraulic devices to obtain the correct sequence of movements of. the wheel, feeding member and crushing member may be controlled byza cammechanism or other known timingl device such asis shown diagrammatically in Figure l., One well-known form. of timing mechanism for supplying pressure fluid. alterxi a.te lyV tooppositeends of the cylinders of the hydraulic rams 29 and. 4| is shown in Figure l. This timing mechanism comprises a Valve having/a cylinder part 42 in which Works a piston valve. proper 43.. The cylinder is provided with an inlet port 44,.for hydraulic pressure'iiuid, and aQreturn port 4.5. for said pressurefluid. The cylinder 42`v also has a port 46 connectedto one end of each of the cylinders of the hydraulic rams,29. and. 4|,.and a port, 41 connected to the opposite.- end of' each of.V said cylinders. There .isalso a transfer passage 48'. extending. from one y endof. the valvecylinder 4.2 tothe other. Movement. of the piston valve 43 ei'ectedby a. cam 49...Qperativcly. connected to the piston valve .by a; connecting rod 50., The cam 49 is rotated by means of; a shaft'A 5| driven at an appropriate speedby, say,y an electric motor.

The. timing, device above described operates as follows.: When the piston valve. is in the position. shown, pressure iluid is being vsupplied via port 46 to 'the left hand, end of the hydraulic ramen!` andto the upper end of the hydraulic ram 4| and pressure fluid is being discharged from the opposite ends. of theserams via the port 41. and return port 45. At the appropriate time, i; e'. when the 'piston of the ram. 23 has reached the end of its outward stroke and the piston ofthe ram 4|;` has reache'dthe.l end of its downward stroke, the caml has moved the This places 4.1andthe port 46 in communication Withthe -freturrr` port45'via the transfer passage 48. As aresult, the pressure fluid. is now supplied to lthe'right-hand end of the ram 29 and is discharged from the left-hand end and is supplied to the lower end ofthe-ram 4| and is discharged from; the upper end thereof In other'words,

the; directionofflow. is. now opposite to: that indicated by.-v the.. arrows..

that so long as the cam 49 rotates, this alter- It'` will?. be understood .is believed that this is more efficient than the r existingv practice: ofusing a largepressand operating on a consider-able bulk-of material for a prolonged period, the time of operation being necessarily long due to the large amount of liquid to be expressed and the limited draining. surface available.

The crushing member or means mayhave a.l

pintled or other irregular surface.- e. g... a4 corrugated-.surface in which the corrugationsare of a varying pitch, so as to impart a kneading-action to the material at each crushing. operation.

I: claim:

l'. A crushing machine for expressing liquids from solids or semi-solids comprising a wheel-and a crushing member, the rim of the wheel and the crushing member constituting opposite Walls-of a tapered crushing chamber, at least one of said walls having. openings therein, a step-by-step mechanismr for imparting` intermittent move.-

ment to the Wheel relatively to the crushingl member to feed material. step-by-step through said chambenpressure. applying means for meving the crushing member towards andawayffrom the. rim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement. thereof, so a-s.l to/ crush the material in the tapered Chambon. and meansfor collecting liquid expressed fromv such material and exuded. through the openings inl the; wall of.. the. crushing chamber.

2. A. crushing machine as claimed in claim. l, wherein the rim of. the wheel comprises aseries of bars spaced apart to'provide. the openingsl in the Wall of thecrushing chamber. r

3.. A crushing machine for expressing liquids from solidsor semi-solids. comprising.V a Wheel and an arcuate crushing member which spans apartof the rim of the wheel', said riml and the crushing member constituting oppositewalls of a tapered crushing chamber, at leastone offsa-id walls having opening-s therein, a pivotal support forrthe arcuate crushing member located atone end thereof; a step-by-stepmechanism for imparting intermittent movementto the Wheel rela:- tively tothe. crushing member to feed material step-by-stepf through said. chamber, pressure: ap.- plyinggmeansf for moving the crushing member about.. its pivotal. support. towardsand away from the rimv of the Wheelduring halts. iny the inter- .mittenb movement thereof, so' as to crushr the materiali inv the. tapered chamber, and means, for collectingV liquid expressed fromr` the material in the chamber4 and exuded through the openings in' thewall thereof.

4'. A crushing machine for expressing liquids fromsolidsor semi-solids comprising a wheel and anl arcuatecrushing member which. spans apart ofl the rim of they wheel, the-said rim and the crushing memberv constituting opposite wallsof a tapered crushing chamber, at least one ofV said Walls having openings therein, a pivotal support for the crushing member located at one end Vthe crushing member.

7. thereof,a stepLby-step mechanism for imparting intermittent movement to the wheel-relatively to the crushing member, a feeding member supported on'the rim of the wheel in front of the inlet end of the tapered crushing chamber and movable with the wheel in one direction for feeding -material step-by-step through the crushing chamber, means for retracting said feeding member, a pressure applying means for moving the crushing member about its pivotal support and towards and away from the rim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement thereof, so as to'crush the'material in the tapered chamber, and means for collecting liquid expressed from 'such material and Vexuded through the openings in the wall of the chamber. e 351A, crushing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein theoperating mechanism for the crushingV member comprises an arm pivoted on the axis of the wheel, a hydraulic ram, a connecting vmemberY operatively connecting said ram to the jfree end of said arm, and a toggle element operatively connecting the free end of the arm to 6.A crushing machine for expressing liquids from solids or semi-solids comprising a wheel and an arcuate crushing member which spans a part of the rim of the wheel, the said rim and the crushing member constituting opposite walls of a tapered crushing chamber, at least one of said walls having openings therein, a pivotal support for the crushing member located at one end thereof, a step-by-step mechanism for imparting intermittent movement to the wheel relatively to the crushing member, a feeding member supported on the rim of the wheel in front of the inlet end of the tapered crushing chamber and movable with the wheel in one direction for feeding material'step-by-step through the crushing chamber, means for retracting said feeding member, a hydraulic ram, an arm piv- `oted on the axis of the wheel, a connecting member operatively connecting said ram to the free end of said arm, a `toggle element operatively connecting the free end of the arm to the crushing member, whereby the ram moves the crushing member about its pivotal support and towards and away from the rim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement thereof, so as to crush the material in the tapered chamber, and means for collecting liquid expressed from such material and exuded through the openings in the wall of the chamber.

7. A crushing machine for expressing liquids from solids or semi-solids comprising a wheel and an arcuate crushing member which spans a part ofthe rim of the wheel, said rim and the crushing member constituting opposite walls'of a tapered crushing chamber, at least one of said walls having openings therein, a pivotal'support for the crushing member located at one end thereof, a hydraulic 'ram device, a pawl and ratchet mechanism operated by saidA hydraulic ram device, and acting on the wheel to impart intermittent movement thereto relatively tothe crushing member, a feeding member supported on the rim of the wheel in front of the inlet end -of the Vtapered crushing'cha'mber and ,movable 'with the wheel inone direction for :feedingmateriall step-by-step through ltheV crushing chamber, means for retracting said feeding member,

la hydraulic ram, an arm pivoted on the axis of the Wheel, a connecting memberv operatively connectingsaid ram to the free end of said arm, a

"all

toggle element operatively connecting the ffree end of the arm to the crushing member, whereby the ram movesthe crushing member about its pivotal support and towards and away from the rim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement thereof, so `as to crush the material in the tapered chamber, and means for collecting liquid expressed from such material and exuded through the openings in the Wall of the chamber.

8. A crushing -machine for expressing liquids from solids or semisolids comprising a wheel having a rim of slightly spaced transverse bars defining openings therebetween, an arcuate crushing member which spans a part of the rim of the wheel, the said rim andV the crushing member constituting opposite walls of a tapered crushing chamber, a pivotal support for the crushing member located at one end thereof, a hydraulic ram device, a pawland ratchet mechanism op'- erated by said hydraulic ram device and acting on the wheel to impart intermittent movement thereto relatively to the crushing member,v a feeding member supported on the rim ofthe wheel in frontV of the inlet end of the tapered crushing chamber, and'movable with the wheel in one direction for feeding material step-bystep through the crushing member,` Vmeans for retracting said feeding member, a hydraulic ram, an arm pivoted on the axis'of the wheel, a connecting member operatively connecting said ram to the free end of said arm, a toggle element operatively connecting the free end of the arm to the crushing member, whereby the last mentioned ram moves the crushing member about its; pivotal support andtowards and away from the Vrim of the wheel during halts in the intermittent movement thereon so as to crush the material in the tapered chamber, and means for collecting liquid expressed from such material andn exuded throughthe openings in therim'of the wheel. 9. A crushing machine comprisingV a wheel, and a crushing member, the rim of the wheel and the crushingvmember constituting opposite walls of a tapered crushing chamber, at least one of said walls having openings therein, a step by vstep mechanism for imparting intermittent movement to the wheel relatively to the crushing member to feed material vstep by step through said chamben and pressure applying means for moving ,the crushing member towards and away fromvthe rimof .the wheel during haltsvn the intermittent movement` thereof so as to crush the material in the tapered chamber. Y

ARTHUR HUGH AMERY.A

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord. in' the file of this patent:

UNITED ^ISTATES; PATENTS 388,496 Germany Jan. 19, vr1924 

